United Nations Security Council resolution 1470, adopted unanimously on 28 March 2003, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...

, the Council extended the mandate of the

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) was a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone from 1999 to 2006. It was created by the United Nations Security Council in October 1999 to help with the implementation of the Lom� ...

(UNAMSIL) for six months until 30 September 2003.

Resolution

Observations

The Security Council expressed concern at the continuing fragile security situation in the

Mano River The Mano River is a river in West Africa. It originates in the Guinea Highlands in Liberia and forms part of the Liberia-Sierra Leone Liberia–Sierra Leone border, border. The districts through which the river flows include the Parrot's Beak ...

region, especially the

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

in Liberia and its consequences on nearby states including

Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

and the humanitarian situation. It recognised the situation in Sierra Leone and the need to strengthen the

Sierra Leone Police The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is the national police force of the Republic of Sierra Leone. It is primarily responsible for law enforcement and crime investigation throughout Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leone Police is under the jurisdiction of the ...

in order to maintain security and stability. Furthermore, it was important that there was government authority throughout the country, particularly the diamond fields, reintegration of ex-combatants, respect for human rights and

rule of law The rule of law is the political philosophy that all citizens and institutions within a country, state, or community are accountable to the same laws, including lawmakers and leaders. The rule of law is defined in the ''Encyclopedia Britannica ...

and the return of

refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.

s and

internally displaced person An internally displaced person (IDP) is someone who is forced to leave their home but who remains within their country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the legal definitions of a refugee. A ...

s. The importance of the

Special Court for Sierra Leone The Special Court for Sierra Leone, or the "Special Court" (SCSL), also called the Sierra Leone Tribunal, was a judicial body set up by the government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations to "prosecute persons who bear the greatest responsibil ...

and support of UNAMSIL was stressed.

Acts

Extending UNAMSIL's

mandate Mandate most often refers to: * League of Nations mandates, quasi-colonial territories established under Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations, 28 June 1919 * Mandate (politics), the power granted by an electorate Mandate may also ...

for an additional six months, the Council thanked countries contributing to the force and UNAMSIL for adjustments to its size, composition and deployment. It was asked to take responsibility for the country's internal and external security, while the Secretary-General

Kofi Annan Kofi Atta Annan (; 8 April 193818 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder ...

was requested to detail plans for its drawdown and withdrawal. The resolution expressed concern at a shortfall in donations and stressed that the development of administrative capabilities of the Sierra Leonean government was essential to long-term peace. Additionally, the government had made efforts to ensure effective control of the diamond mining areas in Sierra Leone and UNAMSIL civilian police were being deployed. The Council supported the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the launch of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Meanwhile, the presidents of the

Mano River Union The Mano River Union (MRU) is an international association initially established between Liberia and Sierra Leone by the 3 October 1973 Mano River Declaration. It is named for the Mano River which begins in the Guinea highlands and forms a border ...

were called upon to resume dialogue and commitments aimed at strengthening regional peace and security. The Security Council noted instability on the border between Sierra Leone and Liberia and demanded that the Liberian Armed Forces or other armed groups refrain from incursions into Sierra Leone. All states were asked to observe the

arms embargo An arms embargo is a restriction or a set of sanctions that applies either solely to weaponry or also to "dual-use technology." An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes: * to signal disapproval of the behavior of a certain actor * to maintain ...

against Liberia and restrictions concerning

blood diamond ''Blood Diamond'' is a 2006 American political war action thriller film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, and Djimon Hounsou. The title refers to blood diamonds, which are diamonds min ...

s. The Secretary-General was to keep the situation in Sierra Leone under review, and the Sierra Leone government was requested to pay attention to the needs of women and children.

References

External links

*
Text of the Resolution at undocs.org
{{UNSCR 2003 1470 2003 in Sierra Leone 1470 1470 2003 in Liberia March 2003 events Liberia–Sierra Leone relations

Resolution

Observations

Acts

See also

References

External links